Fight at FedEx Field draws a little blood ... and media scrutiny

By
Cindy Boren

This is a particularly dangerous time of year for members of the media; we're an easily distracted lot and, well, there's tinsel. And fights, which as just like tinsel only non-seasonal. On Sunday, a brawl broke out in the stands at FedEx Field, with predictable results in the journalism community.

See? But, of course, there's video of the brawl and you can see for yourself just how mesmerizing it is as several Portises (Porti?) get involved and Orakpo gets hauled off while Cooleys look on. (Warning, Portis gets cut over the eye. Paging Ferdie Pacheco.)

This just shows you exactly how moronic the youth are today ( early 20 somethings)... both Redskins fans and how did this start again ??? I am sure is was something completely stupid where bravado and not brains !!! I do applaud one the guys trying to be peace maker.. seems like he was the only smart one. Spent hundreds of dollars only to be escorted out before halftime. Priceless!

So typical -- LOSER grown men in jerseys (did any ever actually play?) get drunk and think they're tough guys. Meanwhile, kids and families have to see and hear this garbage. Pathetic -- they should all be thrown in jail and lose their tickets. Oh, and nice job Cindy Boren giving them the attention they are so desperate to recieve. BTW -- none of them could break an egg.

I would wager alchol had a major part in this. Notice the man trying to shield the younger people from this. I think it is time that Danny Boy, if he wants to make the gameday experience truly a thing to desire, should institute sobriety tests (along with the cops) at all entrances. Sure, only about half the crowd would make it past the checkpoint, but thing how many less drunks there would be. Oh, and for those who make it in, a limit on the number of drinks they can buy.

This was not even a particularly large fight for FedEx. I am trying to build fans for life by bringing my 12 and 6 year old sons to the games. Unfortunately, they get to see how drunk people behave.

All the vendors still sell to people who are visibly drunk even though it is against the rules and most of the drunks get drunk in the parking lot before the game. Security should eject and/or refuse entry to anyone visibly drunk. The fights would almost completely disappear.

Was this in section 137? I was in 138 and there was a fight in 137 as well. It doesn't appear to be the same people. In the 137 brawl, two guys started swinging and eventually three guys were ejected by the cops. After they finally arrived 10-15 minutes after it started. There was one guy with a bloody mouth and teeth. And an older guy that had blood on his face... I think that was splatter. Can anyone confirm the section details for the above? And was anyone near the 137 melee?

In the 137 brawl, two guys started swinging and eventually three guys were ejected by the cops. After they finally arrived 10-15 minutes after it started.
Posted by: ECUPirate68 | November 29, 2010 2:59 PM | Report abuse

That second sentence says it all. It's going to take someone getting killed before security really and truly takes violence in the stands seriously, and enforce the rule of not serving alcohol to someone who's already had too much.

I'm not condoning violence, but I don't think FEDEX has a problem. I’m surprised by the carping here specific to FEDEX. FEDEX is way better than other venues. If you think you’re going to get 50-100K sports fans together and not have a fight you’re crazy. FEDEX does a great job with both alcohol and crowd control. This was the first fight I’ve seen in 5 years. And remember, if it wasn’t for Twitter and YouTube we wouldn’t even be talking about this. The whole point of the article was to point out that the play on the field was so atrocious that the journalists had to manufacture something else to write about. I’m not sure why – or if -- there was a response delay in 137 but I wouldn’t fault the cops or event staff. Maybe 10-15 minutes is normal, I’m not an event management expert. Once they arrived they hustled the guys out and everyone was back to watching the game.

On the way out (2 minute warning) a friend and I witnessed some idiot actually take a swing at one of PG's Finest!! We just looked at each other and said "that didn't really happen ... did it?!) He was then swarmed over by at least 5 or 6 other cops. All that you saw then was this guy being dragged up the steps like the scene from "GHOST: were the Bad Guy was dragged away by the Goblins. While I don't condone this and wouldn't want my kids to see such behavior, It was more exciting then the whole game!!

I'm not condoning violence, but I don't think FEDEX has a problem. I’m surprised by the carping here specific to FEDEX. FEDEX is way better than other venues. If you think you’re going to get 50-100K sports fans together and not have a fight you’re crazy. FEDEX does a great job with both alcohol and crowd control. This was the first fight I’ve seen in 5 years. And remember, if it wasn’t for Twitter and YouTube we wouldn’t even be talking about this. The whole point of the article was to point out that the play on the field was so atrocious that the journalists had to manufacture something else to write about. I’m not sure why – or if -- there was a response delay in 137 but I wouldn’t fault the cops or event staff. Maybe 10-15 minutes is normal, I’m not an event management expert. Once they arrived they hustled the guys out and everyone was back to watching the game.

Posted by: ECUPirate68 | November 29, 2010 3:42 PM | Report abuse

FedEx wasn't like this when it first opened. The behavior has deteriorated to the point where fighting is commonplace in the stands. And maybe if stadium staff did more deter that type of behavior, prevented people who are drunk from entering the stadium in the first place, and banned sales to those who already hahave had too much, we wouldn't be talking about this.

Re alcohol at the games, at 00:47 two guys, carrying two beers each are going down the steps watching the fight (far left). Sort of the perfect trip for them. For the price of their tickets they get to watch a game from a seat, a place to take a leak, a view of the fights, and the opportunity to get more drunk. While Danny boy rakes it in. As an earlier poster said, it is going to take a drunk falling out of the upper deck, or worse, before the game even starts, to get anyone's attention.

Worst gameday experience ever, i am a diehard Skins fan and after 20 years will not be renewing my season tickets. Move back to DC build a new stadium and change the racist nickname pleeeeeease!

Posted by: MrWillie

you contradict yourself by saying you've been a diehard skins fan for 20 years, you've held season tickets yet you're complaining about the team name? c'mon man. how does that even make sense? "i luv the redskins but i don't like their name?" not even congress has forced the issue despite the several hearings on the subject. get over it and move on!

on a different note, it's pathetic to see two skins fans making a 1st class @zz out of themselves and now it's on youtube. sure fans go to the game and get a lil faded but to be wearing jerseys supporting the same team and causing a scuffle makes them look more like cowboys fans. the vikings won twice yesterday...on the scoreboard and on this video.

I made my first visit to FedX when the Redskins were slaughtered by the Eagles. I had never been to a regular season Redskin game though I have been to many baseball games around the country and to the Nats as well. I will never return. I found the fans there to be rude and Crude. Many were drunk before entering the stadium. Fedx field was horrible to get into and out of as well. I was embarrassed to have my wife with me due to the filthy language that she was exposed to. Also I have a heart condition and am not suppose to be around ciggerette smoke. It seemed that people were smoking everywhere, outside the bathrooms and even right under the no smoking sign. AS I said I will never return. Let the thugs overtake the place, Dan Snyder and all good fans will leave.

I was there in section 327, however, I was getting a beer when this happened and when I got back to my seat everyone had to describe to me what happened. My experience at the game was ok, for about the first 15 minutes, then i started thinking about how much nicer it would be if I were in my favorite pub, drinking less expensive drinks, my drive home would be about 3 minutes, and I don't have to wait in line to use the restroom. I won't be going back anytime soon unless Da Bears come to town. The skins lost, this fat ass got his ass kicked by some kid, and I bet he had a lot of explaining to do and will be wanting to make amends. Dummy

I was in the section and saw two girls being attacked by a group of people and that's when the guy in the red jacket and the bigger guy in the 98 jersey came out of nowhere and got involved with the other fan. It appeared they were defending the two females that were with them, the girls were getting punched and there hair pulled and not one person tried to break it up. The guy with the bloody eye and it appeared to be his friends seemed to start all the trouble. I'm not condoning the situation, but I would be damned if I saw my sister or wife or any female for that fact being assaulted without trying to protect them. By the way why is the Post putting this kind of a video up here and not talking more about how pathetic Mike Shanahan and his coaches are?

FedEx Field is the worst experience. Poor security and worse atmosphere. People feel entitled to do what they want because Dan Snyder rips them off.

Posted by: dc_attorney | November 29, 2010 10:43 PM
---------------
Totally agree. FedEx is the Walmart of the NFL. The lots are full or trash, people can't park, the stadium personnel were trained to work a self-service gas station, but worst of all, are the dirt bag fans.

FedEx Field is the worst experience. Poor security and worse atmosphere. People feel entitled to do what they want because Dan Snyder rips them off.

Posted by: dc_attorney | November 29, 2010 10:43 PM
---------------
Totally agree. FedEx is the Walmart of the NFL. The lots are full or trash, people can't park, the stadium personnel were trained to work a self-service gas station, but worst of all, are the dirt bag fans.

The atmosphere at FedEx is beyond disgusting, it's toxic. I'm a lifelong Skins fan, but haven't been to a game since 2007 and don't plan to ever go back to FedEx. I remember RFK, people went there to watch football. At FedEx, there are just way too many people with a primary objective of getting wrecked and acting like tough guys for three hours before they go back to their jobs as cubicle jockeys on Monday. It may only be 15, 20, 25% of the people there, but they're enough to make the experience unbearable.

I remember going to my first Skins game in 1989 with my dad at RFK (Skins crushed the Bears 38-13, or something like that). Coming up through the passageway from the concourse and seeing that field for the first time as a wide-eyed 9 year old is still one of the best memories of my life. I regret that, unless things change significantly, I won't ever be taking my son to FedEx.

We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.

User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.